PROPOSED TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 797, 18 August 1915, Page 5

PROPOSED TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

DISCUSSED BY COUNTY COUNCIL. ASSISTANCE PROMISED. Tha rmttec of assisting towards establishing a technical school came up for discussion at rbe Waitomo County' Council meeting on Monday evening, when the chairman explained what had been done at the meeting which be had attended. Subsequently, he understood, the Mayor of To Kuiti had waited on the Education Board and had gone further into the matter. There was nothing before th« Council, but be suggested they should approve of the principle. Cr Johnston said he'd like to have a word on the question of education in the King Country. In his district for nine years they had been unable to get proper support, for a school from the Education Board. In .order toget education for his rhildren he bad to contribute as much as £ll towards the teacher's salary. The settlers had to find board for trie teacher. He thought the Council should make it a point to sea the children of the backbl-ocks got primary education before going in for technical education. He believed in every bran.eh of education, but thought primary eudcation came first. Cr Smyth disagreed with Cr Johnston. Ha thought they should assist technical education to the utmost. They were finding out in he present war that they were behind the Germans in tßchnical education and should have attended to the matter twenty years ago. Cr Ware said he took it the technical education was to develop any genius that might exist in the rising generation. He beileved in technical education, and had experienced the benefits of it in his "own family. Cr Potts said ha believed in assisting technical education, but the position of backblock schools was unsatisfactory. In his district there were two schools which had been built by the settlers. The Education Board will not allow an education district to be formed and a committee formed and the schools were practically without supervision except what the settlers exercised on their own initiative.

On the motion of tha chairman and Cr Were it was decided that the Council approve of th 9 suggestion of contributing towards tbs establishment of a technical school in the district when further information is available.